Harold Opdenbosch: "Production practices that support ecosystem services"

"My name is Harold Opdenbosch and I am from Brussels, Belgium. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in agricultural and food economics at the Department of Economics, SLU, where I also recently completed my PhD. I hold a master’s degree in environmental economics from SLU and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management. My research focuses on understanding farmers’ adoption of environmentally sustainable production practices, with particular attention to the role of public and private incentives. While my PhD centred on the influence of agricultural policy, my current work explores how sustainable farming can improve farm-level economic performance and how actors across the food supply chain can develop private incentives to encourage adoption."

How does your research align with the One Health concept, and in what ways can it contribute to a more sustainable and socially impactful world? 

"My research aligns with the One Health concept by investigating farmers adoption of production practices that support ecosystem services with direct implications for human and animal health. It identifies pathways to align agricultural sustainability with farm-level economic viability, bridging environmental and economic goals. In doing so, my work contributes to building a Swedish food system that is more sustainable and resilient through concrete institutional and economic mechanisms."

What are your plans now after your PhD? 

"As I begin my postdoctoral position, I am excited to deepen my work on these issues while branching into complementary topics and building new collaborations. So, feel free to reach out if my works resonate with you!"

You can also include a link to my thesis Institutional and behavioural drivers of sustainable farming uptake